Golf shoe cleat wrench

ABSTRACT

A wrench for installing and removing shoe cleats threaded into the bottom of athletic spiked shoes having a cleat spike receiving tapered hole and two opposite side work hardened knobended cleat hole wrench torque projections at the cleat engaging end of the wrench. The wrench shank is grasped with the thumb pressing downward immediately to the rear of the cleat-engaging end to start and hold the knob-ended wrench torque projections in place and the wrench shank is angled upward so the hand and tool clear the other cleat spikes as the tool turns the cleat into or out from a shoe sole or heel.

United States Patent Acrea Sept. 9, 1975 GOLF SHOE CLEAT WRENCH PrimaryExaminerAl Lawrence Smith [76] Inventor: Charles E. Acrea, l 109Dunbarton Asslsmm bxammer jlames Smith Dr Richardson, 75080 Attorney,Agent, or Ftrm-Warren H. Klntzmger [22] Filed: Sept. 17, 1973 [57]ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 398,007

A wrench for installing and removing shoe cleats [52] US. Cl 81/90 C.threaded the Fq of athlenc Spiked Shoes hav' mg a cleat spike rece1v1ngtapered hole and two oppo- [51] Int. Cl 825!) 13/48 58 d f S h 8 l /90 Csite side work hardened knob-ended cleat hole wrench 1e 0 care torqueprojections at the cleat g g g end of the l References Cited wrench. Thewrench shank 1s grasped with the thumb I pressing downward immediatelyto the rear of the UNITED STATES PATENTS cleat-engaging end to start andhold the knob-ended 2,222,145 11/1940 James 81/90 C X wrench torqueprojections in place and the wrench 2,770,991 11/1956 Myers 81/90 CShank is angled upward so the hand and too] Clear tha 3,412,635 ll/l968Chmielewski 81/90 C other cleat spikes as the tool turns the cleat intoor out from a shoe sole or heel.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures GOLF SHOE CLEAT WRENCH Shoe cleat installingand removing tools heretofore I generally have been of a type projectingstraight up from the cleat being worked, and manually pressed downthereon to maintain torque engagement with the cleat. Such toolstypically have straight wrench projections of generally rectangularcross-section, and have a tendency to become disengaged because there isno means for holding (except manual downward pressure) the wrenchprojections in the cleat wrench torque openings. Means for aligning thewrench projections in the cleat wrench torque openings has also beenlacking in such tools. With the downwardly maintained manual pressurerequired to engage these wrench projections all to often one receivesbarked knuckles and skinned hands upon accidental disengagement.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a shoecleat wrench facilitating the installation and removal of shoe spikedcleats with minimum difficulty and awkwardness, and in minimum time.

Another object is to provide such a shoe cleat wrench safe to use withminimal injury potential.

A further object is to provide a shoe cleat wrench suitable for use onvarious types of shoe cleat spikes with positive engagement and holdingof wrench projections in the cleat wrench torque openings.

Another object is to provide for positive alignment of cleat wrenchprojections in cleat wrench torque openings.

Features of this invention useful in accomplishing the above objectsinclude, in an athletic shoe cleat wrench, a wrench tool having amanually grasped shank body angled upward from a shoe cleat engaging endfor hand and tool clearance from other cleat spikes. The shoe cleatengaging end has two downward wrench projections that fit into torqueopenings in a cleat, and a tapered opening in the wrench end in linewith and be tween the two wrench projections that fit a cleat spike. Thetwo wrench projections are preferably swage dieformed for work-hardenedstrength and to shape each projection to have knobbed end, a necked-downportion, and a tapered shoulder. The tapered hole centers the wrench onthe cleat and pivotally guides the wrench about the spike as a centeringalignment guide, while the wrench projections with the knobby ends, likehammer-spread spike ends, securely engage the cleats with cleat wrenchtorque projection locking beneath wrench torque opening edges. Manualturning force is applied through the two wrench projections to the edgesof the cleat openings to thread the cleat either into or from (dependingon rotational direction) a shoe bottom.

A specific embodiment representing what is presently regarded as thebest mode of carrying out the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of spiked cleat equipped golf shoewith applicants cleat wrench being used to remove or to install spikecleats from the sole and heel of the shoe;

FIG. 2, an enlarged front view of the wrench projection end of the cleatwrench;

FIG. 3, a top view of the cleat wrench;

FIG. 4, a side elevation view of the cleat wrench;

FIG. 5, a side elevation of a spiked cleat engaged by a cleat wrenchtaken in section along line 55 of FIG.

FIG. 6, a side elevation view of an alternate type of spiked cleat fromthat of FIG. 5 with a cleat wrench, sectioned along line 5-5 of FIG. 2,in position for use; and,

FIG. 7, a bottom view of the wrench projection end of the cleat wrench.

Referring to the drawing:

The golf (or athletic) shoe 10 of FIG. 1 is shown to be equipped with aplurality of shoe cleats 11, each having a spike 12, mounted both on thesole l3 and the heel 14 of the shoe 10. This is with a threadedprojection 15 (shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) of each spiked shoe cleat 11threaded into respective threaded holes 16 in the sole l3 and heel 14 ofthe shoe 10. The shank body 17 of the cleat wrench 18 is fashioned to begrasped by the hand, and is angled up from the cleat engaging tool headend 19 of the wrench 18 for tool and hand clearance from other cleatspikes 12.

Shoe cleats 11, in addition to the spike 12 and threaded projection 15,are each equipped with a shallow conically shaped disc 20 having rimedge lock projections 21 (or other lock indentation formed bottomprojections) that lock the cleat 11 in place when tightened against thesole 13 or heel 14. Each cleat disc 20 is also provided with two cleatwrench torque openings 22 on opposite sides and generally laterallyaligned with the spike 12 of the shoe cleat 11.

The cleat engaging tool head 19 on the cleat wrench of FIG. 2 is shownto have two downwardly formed wrench projections 23 each having aknobbed end 24 generally of modified rectangular to oval shape withrounded corners (See FIG. 7) in plan view, a swage dieformed, workhardened neck 25 generally of similarly modified rectangular to ovalshape in cross-section, and a relatively broad shoulder 26 generallyrectangular in cross-section throughout the arc of the downward turn.The knobbed ends 24, actually like hammerspread ends in miniature, catchunder the edges of the cleat wrench torque openings 22 holding thewrench projections 23 in semi-positive lock engagement when the cleatwrench 18 is torqued while in use.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a turned over cutout 27 provides stressrelief between each wrench projection 23 turn down and the cleatengaging tool head center projection 28. Stress relief helps preventcracking and breaking of the wrench projections 23 due to stressconcentrations that could otherwise be excessive when torque is appliedto the tool head 19. The tool head center projection 28 has a conicallytapered hole 29 laterally centered between the wrench projections 23 forcentering and pivotally guiding tool head 19 on a spike 12 or spike 12'and aligning the wrench projections 23 in the wrench torque openings 22.

The spike 12 of a spiked shoe cleat 11 is typically a compound truncatedcone, as best shown in FIG. 5 or in the form of a simple truncated coneas with spike 12' of spiked shoe cleat 11' of FIG. 6.

Obviously, cleat wrenches 18 must be usable on various commercial spikedcleat designs such as typified by those having a truncated cone section30 at the base of spike 12 and by the spike 12' of cleat 1 l having acontinuous cone to large diameter base 31 with termination section 32 onthe disc 20 of the cleat 11. The dimensions of tapered hole 29 arecarefully selected to optimize cleat engaging tool head 19 slide down ontapered spikes l2 and 12' and other commonly known commercial spikedcleat designs sufficiently to insure full insertion engagement of thewrench projections 23 in wrench torque openings 22. This is with knobbedends 24 locking to the underside of cleat disc 20 at the bottom edges ofwrench torque openings 20. The taper of tapered hole 29 preferrablyachieves a relatively close fit between upper and lower diameters of thehole 29 and the cleat spike 12 or spike 12. This close pivot fit onspikes 12 or 12 guide steadies the entire wrench 18 and aids in theefficient transmission of torque manually applied through the shank body17.

Further, with a thumb exerting downward pressure on the cleat wrench 18just to the rear of the cleat engaging tool end 19, both cleatinstallation and removal are quickly, easily, and safely accomplishedwith a stable wrench torque action.

It is of interest to note that the opposite end 33 of the cleat wrench18 is formed as a V-shaped cleat mud cleaner 34 and that one or bothprojections 35 of the V-shape may work hardened formed to function asscrewdriver tips in an integrated multipurpose metal tool.

Whereas this invention is herein illustrated and described with respectto a specific embodiment thereof, it should be realized that variouschanges may be made without departing from the essential contributionsto the art made by the teachings hereof.

I claim:

1. A wrench tool for installing and removing spiked shoe cleats threadedinto the bottom of shoes, including: a wrench tool planar head endhaving a conical section opening conformably accepting the conicallyshaped spike of a shoe cleat to be wrench torqued into or out of thebottom of a shoe; a wrench tool shank body angularly extended at anacute angle through most of the length of the shank body, from saidwrench tool planar head end for grasping and wrench torquing spiked shoecleats, said wrench tool planar head end being generally normal to theaxis of a shoe cleat with which said tool is operably engaged;knob-ended wrench projection means integrally formed with said tool headend projecting transverse of said tool head through opening means of aspiked shoe cleat and having knob end sloped cam surfaces catching underedges of said opening means when the wrench tool is used for wrenchtorquing a shoe cleat; wherein said knob-ended wrench projection meansincludes two wrench projections as said wrench projection means witheach formed with an enlarged knob-end of generally oval shape in planview transverse to the longitudinal axis of said projections; and, saidprojections each having a shank portion of similar oval shape intransverse crosssection through the projections and smaller intransverse cross-section than the knob ends.

2. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 1, wherein said two projectionsare placed to opposite sides of said wrench tool head end opening.

3. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 2, wherein said wrench tool headend opening is laterally centered in a center forwardly extendedprojection of said tool head end; and said two projections are inlateral alignment with said head end opening.

4. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 3, wherein said two projectionsare bent down projections substantially equally spaced to opposite sidesfrom said head end opening; and turned over cutouts providing stressrelief between said two projections and said center forwardly extendedprojection.

5. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 1, wherein said head end openingis through a forwardly extended projection of said head end.

6. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 5, wherein said head end openingis a conically tapered hole, laterally centered between two downwardlyformed wrench projections and tapered to fit taper of shoe cleat spikes.

7. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 6, tool stamp formed ofsubstantially uniform gage metal strip stock; and with said conicallytapered hole larger in the downward direction.

8. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 7, wherein said forwardlyextended projection of said head end includes a forwardly extendedsemicircular thin walled

1. A wrench tool for installing and removing spiked shoe cleats threadedinto the bottom of shoes, including: a wrench tool planar head endhaving a conical section opening conformably accepting the conicallyshaped spike of a shoe cleat to be wrench torqued into or out of thebottom of a shoe; a wrench tool shank body angularly extended at anacute angle through most of the length of the shank body, from saidwrench tool planar head end for grasping and wrench torquing spiked shoecleats, said wrench tool planar head end being generally normal to theaxis of a shoe cleat with which said tool is operably engaged;knob-ended wrench projection means integrally formed with said tool headend projecting transverse of said tool head through opening means of aspiked shoe cleat and having knob end sloped cam surfaces catching underedges of said opening means when the wrench tool is used for wrenchtorquing a shoe cleat; wherein said knob-ended wrench projection meansincludes two wrench projections as said wrench projection means witheach formed with an enlarged knobend of generally oval shape in planview transverse to the longitudinal axis of said projections; and, saidprojections each having a shank portion of similar oval shape intransverse crosssection through the projections and smaller intransverse crosssection than the knob ends.
 2. The shoe cleat wrenchtool of claim 1, wherein said two projections are placed to oppositesides of said wrench tool head end opening.
 3. The shoe cleat wrenchtool of claim 2, wherein said wrench tool head end opening is laterallycentered in a center forwardly extended projection of said tool headend; and said two projections are in lateral alignment with said headend opening.
 4. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 3, wherein said twoprojections are bent down projections substantially equally spaced toopposite sides from said head end opening; and turned over cutoutsproviding stress relief between said two projections and said centerforwardly extended projection.
 5. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 1,wherein said head end opening is through a forwardly extended projectionof said head end.
 6. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 5, wherein saidhead end opening is a conically tapered hole, laterally centered betweentwo downwardly formed wrench projections and tapered to fit taper ofshoe cleat spikes.
 7. The shoe cleat wrench tool of claim 6, tool stampformed of substantially uniform gage metal strip stock; and with saidconically tapered hole larger in the downward direction.
 8. The shoecleat wrench tool of claim 7, wherein said forwardly extended projectionof said head end includes a forwardly extended semicircular thin walledportion.